The Uttarakhand Biodiversity Board (UBB) has selected 13 sacred groves for eco-tourism.Thal Kedar will become the first sacred grove of the state. It is spread over 1315 hectare and is eight kilometre from Pithoragarh in Kumaon. There are 200 species of medicinal plants and 663 other species of plants.

Uttarakhand Biodiversity Board and Graphic Era University signed an agreement under which the Graphic Era University has become the first such academic institution which will run course and field training on Biodiversity Act. Those qualified will have job opportunities to work for industries which use natural raw products and hence are liable to pay portion of their profit to the Board every year as well as technical support group to form Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC).

Birdwatchers are ecstatic over the first sighting of the Pallid harrier ( Circus macrourus ), a long-distance migratory bird, at the Vellayani-Punjakari wetlands near here.

The bird which migrates from the northern regions is known to winter mainly in tropical Africa, but also in India and Myanmar in response to changing weather conditions.

It prefers dry to damp grasslands associated with open floodplains or open areas in woodland.

The bird was spotted by Linda John, Principal Scientific Officer, Kerala State Biodiversity Board during an exploratory visit to the Punjakari wetlands.

The Pallid harrier feeds on small mammals like rodents, birds, reptiles, frogs and large insects. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has categorized and evaluated the species as “Near Threatened.”

“Apart from the Pallid harrier, 29 species of migratory birds and 66 resident species were spotted at the wetlands,” says K.P.Laladhas, Member Secretary, KSBB.